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Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares – Rachel Cohn and David Levithan – 4****
This is a delightful young adult meet-cute rom-com featuring an implausible quest and two extraordinarily bright teenagers, set in the fabulous city of New York during the Christmas season. It’s charming and clever and the two main characters are very likeable. And I loved the literary references.
LINK to my full review
Back Piece - L.A. Witt - (Virginia)
Skin Deep Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Homophobia
5★
As a huge, huge fan of L.A. Witt, I’m never surprised that I am most always more than happy with what she writes. I have to say that this one was no exception....and it was a "bonus", (didn't count against my borrows for the month), on Hoopla.
I liked this story but hated Daniels parents with a passion...but I was SUPPOSED to...so mission accomplished, Ms. Witt. It kept me interested, I read it in a day...and the two main characters, Colin and Daniel were absolutely perfect. But... the internal and emotional dialogue with both characters was simply exhausting.
Daniel could have saved himself so much torment and uncertainty if he had just manned up and spoken to his parents. He was 26 years old...what were they going to do ground him?
Our Colin had a troubled past, but he’d overcome a lot to get to where he is today. He owns his own business, Skin Deep. a tattoo place, he's physically healthy and relatively happy for the most part. When he and Daniel spot each other for the first time at the gym it’s an instant attraction, when they meet later the attraction ignites and it proves to be impossible for either man to ignore.
Daniel is stationed in Virginia and of course that means Navy. He’s found acceptance in the Navy, and he loves finally being able to live his life "out and proud"...but it only was when he was away from his terrible, creepy, nasty, homophobic family. Get the idea that I didn't like them? Colin seems like the perfect person to be with...and to fall in love with.
The attraction is insane and intense and the feelings that follow leave both men with questions. The only thing they know is they want more of it. Things of course come to a head when Daniel’s family visits him and he goes right back in the closet and slams and bolts the door. What surprised me was that he expected Colin to share that closet with him. All of Colin’s personal issues that have been simmering at the surface explode and leave both men at odds.
Angsty to the max, and incredibly repetitive, but this book had a saving grace and that was that L.A. Witt had written two incredible, easy to love, main characters. Daniel and Colin are so solid and so well developed. The passion, openness and acceptance was nothing short of beautiful. I loved the story and I thank Hoopla for the "extra one".
Cover Me - L. A. Witt - (Washington)
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery/Thriller
Cover Me Series Book #1
4.5★
Nick is a paramedic. Like all cities everywhere, enough money to go around is the big issue in everybody's face...so when the city's budget cuts created a hopeless situation that made emergency workers like himself have to take care of an area that was far too big and too far away...the result is that people often just don't get the help they need until it's way too late, and difficult decisions have to made in a heartbeat.
This is nothing he can do anything about so he just does the best he can by treating the ones that he can save which often means leaving the ones that are so badly wounded that they wouldn't have survived anyway...and he often has to make this decision in a matter of seconds.
At the scene Nick is confronted with two-gunshot victims...both still alive but one so badly injured that she was nearly dead. He had no idea that the one that he decided had the best chance was a police officer that had been shot confronting the one he left to die. Nick was threatened and held at gunpoint at the scene for making that choice. Now he has a stalker threatening to kill him for it.
He seeks out Detective Andrew Carmichael. It was his work partner that Nick saved. It turns out they have a lot in common and eventually hook up as more than just friends.
The man that threatened Andew at the scene is out to hunt him down and kill him. Of course, everyone has an opinion about what he did and a media circus over whether he did the job that they know nothing about, "right". They are now following his every move. Andrew wants to continue to do the job, but sometimes his presence just makes things worse, and this includes his budding relationship, but neither he nor Andrew are sure what they mean to each other, or where the danger to Nick may come from next.
I liked the characters, and the story moved along smoothly. The ending was not a big surprise, except in the details, and the conclusion to the romance happened really fast. It had a few plot issues...especially the department and the city putting Nick in the position that they did knowing that he was being stalked, but then I have never written a book, so I'll trust the author on that one. I understand there is a sequel.
Scraps of Paper - Katheryn Meyer Griffith
Spookie Murder Mystery series Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
5★
Abigail discovers that her husband who went out one evening two year earlier on an errand and never returned had actually been the victim of a crime. She sways thought that he had deserted her but what she had yet to learn was actually so much different. At any rate she decided that it was time to stop waiting for him to contact her or to return...she had to return to her life and start living again. She quit the job that she hated and started to look for a new place, a new town and new people to begin her new life.
She chooses the small town of Spookie without much investigation into it at all, other than the name lured and fascinated her. The house she buys had belonged to Edna, an old woman whose sister Emily and her children...Chris and Jenny, had vanished into thin air some thirty years ago.
Then Abigail starts to find little scraps of paper with what looks like drawings and messages from Edna's kids. Of course she has to start investigating, and asks the help of Frank, a retired cop and another resident of the little town. What they soon discovered is that some things maybe should just be left alone.
Mysterious disappearances seem to follow her wherever she goes, and she learns that another woman and her two children, had also mysteriously disappeared many, many years ago. She and Frank knew that somebody in this small town had to know more than they were letting on...and they certainly wouldn't want anyone, especially a cop, retired or otherwise, looking into it.
This book is the first in the "Spookie Murder Mystery" series that I am certainly going to be obtaining more of. I want to learn more about this quaint little town and it's rather laid-back but rather strange inhabitants. It would have been nice if we had been given a bit more information about the town itself and some of the characters that are obviously going to be on-going parts of the series...but I am sure that more information will be in later books. Overall...a good start.
Rose Hill - Pamela Grandstaff - (West Virginia)
Rose Hill Mystery Series Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Cozy
3★
This is the first in a series of mysteries about the town of Rose Hill. It is a college town nestled in the foothills of West Virginia.
Scott Gordon is the chief of Police, and he likes how things are at work and in his small town...on the slow side. So when the town bully is murdered at the Vet's office, Scott is stumped. He's never thought of himself as a detective, nor does he have the manpower or the necessary connections to solve this or any other murder, so he ends up calling in Sarah from the sheriff's office to help him solve this crime.
The plot was interesting even if it was somewhat predicable. The two main characters, Scott and Sarah were believable as well as likeable but there were just way too many sub-plots going on. Maybe because it's the first book in a LONG line of the Rose Hill series of books, 14 to date.
I hope the characters in the future books receive some extra "meat" on their bones along the way and also that the crimes become a bit more complicated and harder for the reader to solve. I knew "who-done it" before the halfway mark of the story. I chose this book for the reason that I choose many of the books that I wouldn't normally read... for a challenge category for one of my groups. I intend to try another in the series to give them a fair chance.
Mod
City of the Beasts – Isabel Allende – 3***
Allende has crafted a very engaging, fantastical adventure story, with a fair amount of information provided regarding environmental conservation. A couple of the adult characters were rather cartoonish, but the young people really shone, and I loved the way that the native indigenous tribes were portrayed.
LINK to my full review
Sinfully Delicious - Amanda Lee - (Michigan)
Two Broomsticks Gas & Grill Witch Cozy Mystery series - Book #1
2.5★
I came very close to not finishing this book. It was recommended by a neighbor to who I had mentioned that I needed a book set in Michigan for a challenge, so she rushed right over and handed this one to me. Now I'm not quite sure what I'm going to say to her...but I guess 'thank you, it was interesting", will maybe be all I need to say. I don't know if she's read it or not so......I'll leave the worms in that unopened can.
The two main characters are Stormy and Hunter, a typical heroine and her cop boyfriend. I understand that they are regulars in most all of this author's novels. I do have to say that the mystery in itself is relatively good, and while it isn't a complicated "WhoDunnit" by any means, it had "good bones" and the motivation was a complete surprise. Not to mention the very, very cute cover!
Now... the downside. The terrible, horrible obnoxious grandfather!!!!...I wanted to kill him and hide the body...perhaps providing suitable fodder for the next book. The scenes with Stormy and her grandfather weren't just over the top...in your face obnoxious they were repetitive to the point I thought I had accidently missed a page or had read the same page twice ...or three or four...or five...times. Get the idea? It was literally the very same conversation covering huge amounts of multiple chapters in a row. It lost any hope of the reader knowing, understanding or emphasizing as to how Stormy felt by the end of these numerous recitations.
This is the first book in this series that I have read by this author and I'm not going to say that I'll never read another one...but I sincerely hope that Stormy and her grandfather come to some terms, and I will be extremely careful in the future telling my neighbor why I'm going to library.
Havoc - Kindle Alexander -(Texas)
Tattoos and Ties Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
Motorcycle clubs are not one of my favorite subjects, but this one was fairly mild, and it was a good group of guys...well except for Keye's father. Luckly, he didn't have much time in the story except at the very first.
Alec is an upcoming DA whose father has high aspirations for him to become a judge. He doesn't want any part of it. Why it just didn't tell his father to get lost was beyond me. This is only the first book in the series so maybe he will grow a backbone in the next book.
Keyes is a biker. Together they are pretty explosive. I really liked Keyes. I liked him as a person and his attitude toward life in general. Their chemistry is explosive creating enough sparks to burn down the entire town. They each thought they were too different, but actually they aren't all that different except in their bank accounts. They do start to communicate more by the half-way point of the story.
It took me a little while to get into this book...even though I was I was more than invested in Alec and Keyes story. Alec's friend can use some work...but maybe he'll drop him by the second book. We can only hope.
The story is told from a duel POV, which is easy to read. I like getting into both characters heads. I really hope book 2 has more of the answers to Alec and Keys relationship and what Alec intends to do about a position that he never wanted. I believe there is 3 or 4 more books in the series, and I am anxiously waiting for the climax. Glad I picked it up. As I said it's not something I would normally read.
Exposed in Edinburgh - Scarlett Moss - (Scotland)
The House Sitters Cozy Mysteries Series Book #1
Genera: A Travel Cozy Mystery
4★
Retired Texas law enforcement officer Alen and his wife Joan are on their way to Scotland for their first new job...house sitting. I had to laugh when Alen says "I am glad that our first job is somewhere where they speak English" ... I immediately thought "famous last words my friend... you Just you wait!" My grandfather was from Scotland, and I spent the first 12 or so years of my life literally translating his "English" to our neighbors.
Joan and Alen arrive... settle in... and are thrilled with it all... the house...the dog, (especially the dog) ...even the weather. Quickly they are being asked for help by one of their neighbors. Seems he has become the victim of blackmail. Now this "mystery" which really wasn't much of one to start with...kind of takes a back burner...as is often the case with cozies.
While sightseeing and taking several tours Alen & Joan are learning a lot about Scotland...the history and the various traditions. They actually start to understand the speech of the people. While doing these things and settling down, they take the opportunity to enjoy the things closer to home like taking long walks with the dog. I love the dog's name...meet Sherlock, a border collie that is sometimes smarter than the people around him.
This book is truly a part of the "cozy" genera. You won't find any dead bodies lying around...or more bodies meeting their ends in various gory manners...no bloody knives or smoking guns. If you are waiting for these things, you may find this story.... boring...but the characters are very likeable, and the dog is so, so cute. The book also has a lot of information at the end about the history of Scotland and some recipes and a lot of pictures.
It was good to quietly visit Scotland again as I used to do with my gramps. You can almost hear the drone of the pipes if you close your eyes and listen closely.
Seeking Sunshine - Carly Marie - (Tennessee)
Sunshine Rance Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Learning Disorders
5★
My heart went out to Liam who is a stressed and exhausted young man (26), who had been turned into single parent of his little brother, Jakson, (8), since the sudden, unexpected death of their parents. He holds a stressful job with a company run by a boss that is ill-fitted for the job and doesn't want to understand that his employees...especially Liam, who battles with dyslexia, are on the brink of total collapse.
Liam is a very talented ad designer but just can't work well under all the added pressure being piled on him every day. A great deal of that pressure comes from Jackson's school who refuses to believe that Jackson has some type of learning disorders... and calls Liam several times a week to leave his job and come to the school for yet another hopeless meeting. With all this, Liam doesn't know how to make time to accomplish all his "adult" obligations. In spite of his asking, begging repeatedly, the school is unwilling to put in the extra effort into testing Jackson for Discalculia...instead calling it laziness.
With the daily struggles of living with dyslexia himself, he feels like he is holding on by a thread...and to his "blankie"... to not fall into a total burnout. Then he discovers a place called Sunshine Ranch and signs Jackson up for riding lessons. This turns out to be the best decision he ever made. He meets Garrett and Garrett's younger brother, Gunner. Gunner takes on the task of helping Jackson with his math and reading using methods that allows him to "see" the numbers and words in a different manner...making them make sense and making all the difference in the world in Jackson's young life.
This book is loosely linked to Carly Marie's terrific other books & series, most notably, "At Home" where Gunner was the band's drummer. The story has a wonderful happy ending with these three men and Jackson, who start by trying to figure out who they are but somehow along the journey they all find something they thought they would never have again...a true loving "family" Now I need to find Gunner's Sunshine Ranch story.
Plantation Shudders - Ellen Byron - (Louisianna)
Cajun Country Mystery series Book #1
Genera: Cozy Mystery
2.5★
Maggie Crozat, the Great- Great - Great Granddaughter of Magnolia Marie Doucet, works at the Doucet Plantation as a tour guide, while she lives on the Crozat Plantation grounds in shotgun styled home common to that area of the state. Both sides of her family are "Louisiana royalty".
The Crozat plantation has been remodeled into a Bed and Breakfast since times have been hard, and now the family does the work that is no longer done by servants along with the hired cleaning crew.
The story takes up at the exciting time of "Fete L'ete", and the town of Pelican. "Fete Lete" is a celebration that honors the ending of summer season. The Bed and Breakfast is filled with all varieties of interesting guests that all have their own agendas as we soon learn.
During a dark storm...is there any other type ???, two guests "depart" rather spectacularly. When the lights come back on, the local police are almost living at the door. The Chief of Police hates the Crozat's family because of a "Curse" that was placed by them on his family 150-years or so ago, and he continues to feud with the family and carry a grudge.
The plantation is now a crime scene, and it is up to Maggie...why I don't know...to solve these crimes. I've never quiet understood the reasoning behind it being okay to allow common, non-law enforcement citizens do the work of the police in these stories...but what I cared for much less than that was the "supposed to be funny" labeling of a cross dresser by the all-white guests and the paid staff as “Norman Batesy”....not once but several times.
If you need romance in your mystery there is a connection and a bit of romantic tension flying between Maggie and Bo. I did wonder how the 150-year-old feud and curse between the two families was going to make a relationship between them work, but I really don't think I care enough to read the next one to find out.
Mod
The House In the Cerulean Sea – T J Klune – 3***
Linus Baker is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment: go to an orphanage on a remote island and evaluate the six dangerous magical children living there. This is a modern fairy tale for adults with a message of tolerance, kindness, courage and forgiveness. The sentiment is charming and Klune gives us a wonderful fairy-tale ending. But the story fell flat for me. I felt I was “missing the magic” that so many of my friends experienced.
LINK to my full review
Touch The Sky - Christina Lee -(California)
Free Fall Series Book #1
Genera: MM Romance/Mental Illness &Depresion
5★
Possible Triggers: Mental Illness & Depression
Lucas and Gabe are two young guys who, at some point, had a close enough connection to talk about their dreams, and that they wanted to meet up as adults and somehow make their way together. However, they mysteriously and tragically loose contact, but then find one another again in the very place they both wanted to escape to when they were kids.
Nothing worth having is easy. There are usually always obstacles to overcome. The story and the method of storytelling grabs you from the beginning. A lot of the story is told through emails between the two, which are interspersed as flashbacks throughout the chapter giving us a peek into their early friendship. Things are tense when they first reconnect. They are both shocked to see each other, of course, and Lucas is harboring some serious bitterness towards Gabriel for dropping out of his life with not a word five years earlier. Gabe is sincere and sweet in his desire to explain, though, and their friendship returns with a natural ease.
You can't help but adore them both. Their honesty and true attraction for each other shines brightly through. The story portrays characters who are struggling with mental illness. But it is handled with by this author with a great deal of care and understanding. Gabe’s battle had a very real feel and was delicately well done...but it may cause some readers anxiety. I couldn't help but admire how Gabe decided he needed to handle his therapy. Luke also had some demons of his own, along with a heavy dose of guilt and self-loathing...but seeing these guys fight through these things together was so touching and emotional. First book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last.
Guys Like Him - Aimee Nicole Walker - (Colorado)
Redemption Ridge Series Book #1
Narrator: Lance West
Genera: M/M Romance/Wrongful Imprisonment
4.5★
Kieran Sullivan is being released after 20 months in prison. For a crime he didn’t commit. Cash, an ex-con himself who runs Redemption Ranch where he tries to give back, picks him up. Kieran worked with Cash’s dog rescue and training program in prison, and he has a way with animals, so Cash offered him a place at the ranch.
Kieran meets Finley Ashe at the ranch and learns that he’ll be working with him in the equestrian program. Kieran hasn’t been around horses before, so he has a lot to learn. He also cannot believe how gorgeous Finley is and finds that it’s difficult to ignore the gorgeous guy. Finely has had a breakup with a man who then joined a religious homophobic cult, so Finley hasn't wanted to get involved again with anyone...but he has a "thing" for bad boys... he’s a MAGNET for them.
Kieran is a gorgeous bad boy if ever he saw one...but it seems the guy has a lot going on below the surface. He absolutely refuses to discuss anything about his past. It takes a while, but Kieran finally lets Finley in...and the walls come tumbling down. Turns out that he was set up to take the rap for a stolen car racket by a guy he thought loved him, but it turns out that there is MUCH more going on with the perpetrator than meets the eye. This sting operation results in more damage than good.
I have liked almost everything that Aimee Nicole Walker has written and was happy to see this new series. I’m hoping this is a "stage setter" for a visit to a larger world with the guys of Redemption Ranch. Being the first book in the series. there was a lot of character introduction going on that slowed the story down a bit. The twist was good although it was a very long wait to get any information. I liked Finley and his family right away. His mother is so funny. I hope we get to see more of her and Finley’s sister in future stories. Cash, Reuben, Ivan and the rest of the ranch crew proved to be an interesting bunch, and of course "Mama Kitty" and her little ones. Obviously, there are lots of opportunity for more stories with them all.
Lance West as a great narrator with an easy to listen to voice. Hope to hear more from him also.
Beyond The Surface - Felice Stevens - (New York)
The Breakfast Club Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Firefighters/9/11
5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2 stars
Taken from the book "The unforgettable story of one woman’s perilous journey to save, The Forbidden.
Rebaa’s adopted tribe lies slaughtered behind her. Rebaa’s lover, Juran, lays down his life for hers and now she must use all of her cunning and extraordinary powers to survive the inhospitable wilderness alone, ensuring that Juran’s sacrifice was not in vain.
But Rebaa’s battle for survival has only just begun ...
Hunted by savage predators and more terrifying still, the nightmarish Eldrax, a murderous chieftain who will stop at nothing to possess Rebaa’s mysterious powers for his own, her very existence becomes a life or death chase in the pursuit and quest to reach the one place that surely offers salvation and a safe haven she can call home.
But what haven could possibly exist for one who bears ... The Forbidden?
Will Rebaa find her salvation, or will crushing loss, hardship and the burden of carrying The Forbidden, first destroy her from the inside out?"
I did not hate the book, but I did not love that book, it was just an ok book. I was told it was like The Clan of the cave bear, I did not like that book so why try this book, only one reason to, to read for a tag for a group game.
The story drags and the woman day to day survival struggle becomes repetitive. It says it is a romance book, a hint of romance does not make it romance book. I am going to skip the rest of the series but still giving it two stars. It was interesting enough to finish.
Mod
Rebel – Beverly Jenkins – 3***
This bodice ripper is set in New Orleans during the reconstruction period after the Civil War. It's a typical romance with heaving bosoms, knees made weak by kisses, demure women and strong men who are talented and generous lovers. The action is fast, even if the plot is fairly predictable.
LINK to my full review
His Missing Pieces - M.A. Innes
Pieces Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Daddy/little
5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carry the Ocean - Heidi Cullinan - (Iowa)
The Rosevelt Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Autism/Mental Illness
5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han – 3***
This is a lovely coming-of-age novel featuring a trio of sisters, of which Lara Jean is the middle sister. Among the issues dealt with are sibling rivalry, teen crushes, sex, social media (and bullying), and conflicting feelings – whether for your sister or your boyfriend. I really liked Lara Jean. She mostly has her act together, but she is only sixteen. Still, she’s a good kid; she’s smart, talented, loyal, principled, and determined. And she has an open heart that is ready to learn about love and what it really means.
LINK to my full review
Mod
Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder – Valerie Burns – 3***
Book one in a new cozy mystery series. Maddy Montgomery’s great aunt Octavia has left her a lakefront house, a bakery, and an English mastiff named Baby. Maddy’s barely in town for a day when there’s a murder IN the bakery. Who would want to frame her? The residents rally round, especially Sheriff April Johnson and veterinarian Michael Portman. Fast, entertaining read.
LINK to my full review
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Books mentioned in this topic
Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (other topics)To All the Boys I've Loved Before (other topics)
Carry the Ocean (other topics)
His Missing Pieces (other topics)
Rebel (other topics)
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Our April 2024 theme is:
Start at the beginning - Read a book that is first in a series (suggested by Beverly)
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